CAPTAIN WARNER 111 



and carefully tended, quickly grew into one of the 

 hunt's strongest coverts. Ever since then, it has 

 always been a sure find, and has practically a better 

 average for good runs in the last twenty-five years 

 than any other covert in the Quorn territory. 



Another celebrated fox covert that came into 

 prominence either this season or the next, was 

 Adam's Gorse, an ideal spot for a fox to lie and 

 from which to start a gallop. 



In the days of Sir Richard Sutton, though not 

 considered a sure find, it bore the reputation of 

 harbouring good foxes, and several first-class gallops 

 started there. A small spinney and some straggling 

 unenclosed patches of gorse were then all that 

 constituted a covert, but Lord Manners in the last 

 season of his mastership enclosed about three acres 

 at his own expense. The expense, however, was 

 not heavy, and including fencing only amounted to 

 £40. I have a copy of the account now. The soil 

 was favourable to gorse, and in three years it was 

 a certain find. The success of my efforts and the 

 low cost gave me considerable satisfaction, so that 

 I have always patted myself on the back when 

 recalling it. Naturally I took all the credit to 

 myself, and did not take it into account that both 

 soil and season were in the main responsible for 

 the quick growth. Lord Manners had asked me 

 to get it done for him, and I don't know which of 

 us took the most fatherly interest in the place, 

 whenever it was being drawn. 



I fear now it has fallen on evil days, and I hear 

 that foxes were seldom found there during the 

 war. The family of Underwood, who had occupied 

 the surrounding land for over a hundred years, have 



